BIG ROAD RACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 130, 3 June 1937, Page 22

BIG ROAD RACE.

HARRIERS' EVENT. EIGHTY-EIGHT ENTRIES. TAKAPUNA ON SATURDAY. It will be a big day for the Calliope Club next Saturday. Eighty-eight runners have entered for the race around Lake Pukeke, and the event will be interesting from all points of view. First, as Auckland ie the champion crosscountry province of New Zealand, it will serve as a valuable indication of the possible strength of our 1937 team. Some of our old stalwarts, notably Savidan and Cooper, are not competing. This leaves the field open to a number of new men who are coming on in the game. Of course there are still a number of experienced men available. Some are still young, and yet possess several years' national racing experience. Littler, Harding, Crompton, Xiel and Briggs all have represented the province in the past. In the absence of really outstanding national men there is every likelihood of new men upsetting the calculations of some of the aforementioned back-markers. Frank Savidan is one. The younger brother of Billy looks as if he will improve very rapidly from now on. After all, Bill Savidan himself did not take on serious racing until he was over 20. The fact that Calliope's race is the first open one of the season makes it an important "pipe opener" for all contestants. New runnel's, atfer several weeks of club runs, will realise the difference when the pace is >n. Auckland badly needs a few new runners of outstanding ability. Perhaps next Saturday will see a second Savidan emerge from the rank and file. Doings of Weller. The writer met Charlie Weller, the present New Zealand champion of the sport, in Palmerteon North last week. After many years in Wanganui Weller has moved to Palmerston, and commenced a club there. It possesses 22 members, and Weller is just beginning to get down to serious racing. The fact that he will now lack the very necessary hard competition each week, and is a good distance from big harrier open races, may influence his chances of retaining the title. He is, however, such a wiry little performer that doubtless he will map out a schedule of his own this winter. Les. Sinclair, many times a Wellington cross-country representative, sent hie regards to all the 1933-34 Auckland competition men. While in Auckland for a few months he turned out with Technical, but had given up- the idea of serious racing. Hensball is running fairly well in Hamilton. The club there is very active, and there is a chance that part of this year's provincial team will comprise Waikato men. L. B. Clarke impressed at the Domain last Saturday, when he won the big 4000 yds steeplechase very easily. He is a newcomer to Auckland, and looks as if he will be heard of in bigger events this season. Prendergast In Wellington. Prendergast will be a distinct loss to Auckland athletic circles. He competed winter and summer, and was most versatile. Properly in form, he is one of the best broad-jumpers in the country. Often he jumped well enough to place high in a national championship. On big days, however, he often did not reproduce his best efforts. A good sprinter, he was placed second in the 75yds event last week. In Wellington he should do well, and it will be irony if he strikes form against his home province next national meeting! While watching some of the 'Varsity men running over the slopes of Orakei last Saturday it was noticeable that several took it very easily up the slopes. In fact, some walked very slowly up them. Doubtless they were tired, and naturally did not want to strain themselves unduly. For> very fit men the only way to take a hill is to run or scramble up it. Once you stop to merely walk up you not only lose a lot of time but find it very hard to commence running once again. Perhaps the reason is that the running muscles slip back into a , different position, and have to be gradually i ''worked up" again when the flat is reached again. Needless to say, one bends well down going up a hill and combats gravity as much as possible. Many lose pace going down hill. An old ex-ehani]>ion , had a great slogan in travelling down a slope: "Don't strain and exert yourself as on the flat. Try and make the weight of your body carry you down and relax whilst ill ing so." he always said. Perhaps eii; ier said than done, but if one can rel x at ;ny lime and still retain speed one will feel the benefit very quickly. Hare's performance as a novice in defeating a good runner such as Edgar was an excellent one. The Baptist man looks to be a comer. Lvnndale's good *lub men. Crompton, Collins, Briggs, J. and C. Perritt, Harris and Taylor, are getting in some fast work now. The eltib team that can defeat this hard combination will be indeed a good one. J RACE AROUND LAKE PUPUKE. EIGHTY-EIGHT COMPETITORS. An excellent field of 88 runners, inelu-1-; ing all the leading Auckland harriers, will cbmpete in the Calliope Harrier Club's third] annual road liand'cap race over three miles 1260 yards round Lake Pnpuke, starting from Taharota Kond at 3 p.m. on Saturday. The handicaps are: —J. I. B. Neil, scr: R Crompton. A. G. Hnrding. F. Savidan. 15s; N. Ambler. L. B. Clarke. 30s; J. l'e--rett, 455; W. F. Chappell. W. Clapham. '1 E Collins, W. Pelham. 1.0: P. S. Best. A. i G Bradley. A. E. Clow, R. French. J. Hoi den 1.15 ; W. H. Charman, J. A. Hare. R. Harris, G. Robertson, N. R. Shorter. E. Tavlor, 1.45: L. Carleton. W. Pearson. 2.0 : G. Cates, S. Edgar. F. N. Laird, F. S. Mills, C. Perrett, D. Porter, A. E. Rogers. 2.15; J. Hislop. S. Kendon, K. Lawry, S. Moore, B. Richardson. H. Silvester. A. D. Swinton, R. F. Whitten, 2.30; A. Mac donald, T. M. Wilson, A. Carbines, D. George. E. Charman, S. Taylor, S. R. Goudie, 2.45 : H. Boys, L. J. Lanigan, R. Marson, T. Moffett, J. Mortimer, O. Murdoch, R. Tonson, T. G. Turley, A. S. Wilshere. 3.0; V. Connell. A.. W. Elder, H. Ferguson. G. W. Ferguson. T.' Henderson, E. Linfoot, A. Potter, 3.15; H. Cooper, L. Dixon, W. Fountain, J. Henderson, W. Mclndoe, R. Price, J. Smith, 3.30; D. Douglas, D. Sharpe, 3.45; Bruning, C. Moore, 4.0: A. Cameron, W. R. D. Drummond, F. Fielder, A. Nunns, T. Price. V. B. Ushakoff, 4.15: Greenman, McMurray, M. Morey, N. Thorpe, 4.30; A. Clark, F. Hardman, H. G. Hunt, L. Moore, M. White, 4.45. PRESBYTERIAN CLUB. Handicaps for Presbyterian Bible Class Harrier Club's 880 yards run-in on Saturday : —H. Young. G. Odlin. scr ; Goudie, Gladding, 30s; Kitchener, Frankham, Hislop, 1.0; Hislop, Budge (2), 1.30. UNIVERSITY CLUB. The University Club will'hold its novice championship next Saturday over a course of four miles and a half, starting from St. John's College, Meadowbank. A sealed handicap for all' members will be held in conjunction. WESLEY CLUB. Members of the Wesley Harrier Club to participate in the road race at Takapuna on Saturday :—W. F. Chappell, F. S. Mills, H. Silvester, S. Moore, C. Moore, L. Moore, A run will be held for the rest of the club from the Wesley Young Men's Institute Hall, Pitt Street. TECHNICAL OLD BOYS' CLUB. i The Technical College harriers who are not taking part in the Takapuna road race will run from the home of Mr. A. W. White, ; Mount Roskill (opposite fire station), on ' Saturday.

LYNNDALE CLUB. Eighteen members of the I.ynndale Harriers' Club have entered for the Takapuna race, which is being promoted by the Calliope Club next Saturday. For the rest of the Lynndale Club there will be a pack run from Avondale racecourse. (.m June 9 (King's Birthday) the Lynndale relay race will be held from Avondale to Helensville, starting from tram terminus in the morning.